Ukraine central bank offices searched in corruption probe

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) searched the offices of the central bank on Wednesday as part of an investigation into allegations that central bank officials abused their position to benefit third parties.

NABU said it suspected that central bank staff, in collusion with "officials of a number of commercial banks, took actions violating Ukraine's law on banks and banking activities and this did serious damage to the state's interests".

Its statement did not name any officials and said none of the suspects had been notified.

NABU said the investigation, launched in February, was related to the activities of central bank officials from 2015 to 2016.

The central bank confirmed the search had taken place and that it had given NABU access to documents. It said law enforcement agencies had conducted 155 such searches last year at the central bank.